“ACCOMMODATE A PERSON WITH DISABILITY” PROJECT IS IN ALANYA

Alanya
Municipality has hosted some special guests within the scope the social
responsibility project “You Also Accommodate a Person with Disability”.

In order to contribute to the development of social tourism, a group of about
eighty consisting of people with disabilities from 35 different cities across
the country and their attendants has been provided with an opportunity of 2
nights-3 days holiday in Alanya between April 28th and 30th
2011 prior to the Week of People with Disabilities between May 10th
and 16th 2011 within the scope of a social responsibility project
carried out in cooperation with the Prime Ministry Administration for Disabled
People, Turkish Handicapped Federation, Turkish Disabled Federation, the
Association of Turkish Travel Agencies, Turkish Airlines, Turkish Hoteliers
Federation, the Union of Tourist Guides Chambers (Mediterranean Tourism
Hoteliers and Operators Association and Alanya Tourism Operators Association),
and Alanya Municipality under the patronage and leadership of Turkish Ministry
of Culture and Tourism.

A cultural tour has been organized to some historical venues, such as Alanya
Museum and Alanya Castle, under the coordination of Mr. Münir Altıoğlu, a
member of the Project Team of the Accessible Park and Recreation Center of
Alanya Municipality in order the present the historical and natural beauties of
our country to people with disabilities within the scope of the campaign.

The group of about eighty composed of individuals with disabilities and their
companions come for the tour has visited Alanya Municipality under the
leadership of Mr. Faruk Kaya, a Culture and Tourism Expert of the Ministry of
Tourism. The visitors welcomed in the Municipal Council Hall of Alanya Municipality
by Mayor Hasan Sipahioğlu and they are enlightened about the physical
implementations carried out in our town within the scope of Accessible City
Project in addition to the projects to be implemented in the near future.

Mayor Sipahioğlu said “I want you to know that the projects that we implemented
in Alanya are not for only tourists. We implement these projects for our people
in the first place. We determined a slogan when we first start the Accessible
City: Alanya program: “Alanya for All”. You see, we have conducted and are
conducting all out programs in line with this slogan because the priority issue
is to break the barriers in mind. We are living in a world where what will
happen to whom in the future is uncertain. Each of us is a candidate of being
an individual with disability and we can also become an individual with
disability tomorrow. As the Municipality, we have carried out many programs
within the scope of Accessible City, such as sidewalks, roads, and parks; and
we will continue to do that. For instance, we will put a park and two beaches
for people with disabilities into service in a very near future. And you may
friends with disabilities; you will be able to utilize each spot within the
town just like people with no disabilities.”

The Mayor
highlighted that, the projects will be managed to be implemented faster thanks
to the Accessible Tourism City Protocol signed by and between Alanya
Municipality, Prime Ministry Administration for Disabled People, the Ministry
of Tourism, Alanya Tourism Operators Association, and Alanya Chamber of
Commerce and Industry. He added that “I hope you’ll see in your next visit that
the Accessible City Project in Alanya is completed. In this context, I want to
thank all our guests for visiting”.

Mayor Sipahioğlu drew a lot of holiday in Marmaris organized by Turkish
Ministry of Culture and Tourism along with an individual with disability and
his companion and congratulated the winner Mr. Mehmet Budak, the president of
Kahramanmaraş Disabled Association.

Mr. Mehmet Budak,
the winner of the lot and the president of Kahramanmaraş Disabled Association,
took the floor and thanked the institutions carried out the organization and
Mayor Hasan Sipahioğlu, who hosted them in Alanya. He said, he has visited many
cities, but he has never seen programs and projects carried out there as much
as Alanya Municipality. He thanked Mayor Hasan Sipahioğlu for his sensitivity.